An attempt to help explain the mysteries and magic that are part and parcel of 'probation'.

Monday, 15 April 2013

Everyone For Themselves!

I think disarray would be the best way to describe the state of probation at the present time. I guess it's no great surprise to see that there's absolutely no unity of purpose or direction forthcoming from Chiefs by way of a response to Chris Grayling's privatisation plans and effectively it's 'everyone for themselves!' According to twitter, West Mercia, Lancashire, Cumbria and Merseyside Trusts are all apparently 'absolutely delighted' to have been accepted on to the Cabinet Office's bespoke programme of support in order to become mutuals. As the CEO for West Mercia put it, 'what's it all about? Not waiting to be taken over and keeping probation value-led.' Mmmm we'll see. Others would say mutualisation is simply a Trojan horse to effect full privatisation by a sleight of hand and further down the road. Meanwhile other Trusts are no doubt busily cosying up to all the usual commercial suspects and a general silence descends, lest any rival Trust gets wind of what's being cooked-up behind closed doors. All very unseemly and utterly alien to the ethos and ethics of probation in my view. I dread to think what the likes of recently-deceased David Mathieson and former Chief of Merseyside Probation would make of it all. I have to say I'm truly astonished and more than a little embarrassed to be associated with all this new business-like nomenclature crap that 'go-ahead' trusts are coming out with at the moment. Take Lancashire for instance with it's glossy brochure singing the praises of its seven-strong team in the newly-formed 'business and commercial' department at Head Office. I'm sure they all think they're doing a terribly worthwhile job, beavering away feverishly on 'future-proofing', but I'm equally convinced it will do nothing for the morale of hard-pressed staff at the frontline. The sad fact is that all Trusts have allowed their Head Offices to become massively over-staffed in recent years with layer upon layer of managers doing pretty much sod all. I can say without a shadow of doubt that if privatisation or mutualisation comes about, that's the first place the axe will fall. To use the business-like analogy, it's all about the 'bottomline' and if your post is not contributing towards actually delivering something really useful, it's sayonara. If this is what is going on at the top, what's happening further down the food chain? People are jumping ship basically. Those of a certain age took the opportunity of redundancy or early retirement packages in droves before the end of the last tax year and those less experienced and younger are urgently re-considering their career paths. A good few of these have gone already, leading to more stress, higher caseloads and reduced morale for those left behind. Remaining staff are being re-shuffled into high and lower risk teams in readiness for privatisation and everyone is trying to grapple with new 'improved' OASysr. It's so cruelly depressing to be witnessing the destruction of a fine public service in front of our very eyes. For many of us, this was never just a job, but avocation. There's virtually no national leadership. No direction, no champion. The Grayling gag has had the desired effect and management comment has returned to the anodyne. NAPO is still in utter disarray having lost both its General Secretary and now long-standing Assistant General Secretary who I understand has decided to pursue other interests. So, what can we do? Basically hope and pray that it will all go horribly wrong rather sooner than later. After all, we know the computer systems are crap. We know primary legislation will be required if supervision of the under 12 months custody cases is to be mandatory. We know PbR won't work, but Grayling still thinks it will. We know there are not enough trained mentors out there. We know the whole thing is daft, dangerous, won't save money and won't reduce re-offending. Finally, it can't be done in two years and therefore before the next General Election. There's many a slip twixt cup and lip, as my gran used to say.Sign the No10 petition here.

15 comments:

Couldn't agree more. I'm in the 'young, capable and looking to leave' category. OASys R is a complete shambles. I never thought I'd say it but I think the previous, or 'legacy' OASys was better. We had zero training, and no workload relief for the online training so that wasn't done. I've never commented before but now feel totally fed up with the job I had to post.

The well paid managers in head office are a waste of space. They talk about business aims well enough, but it's not rocket science. Protect the public by reducing the risk of further serious offending. Done. Why is a team of unqualified (in relation to probation qualifications) people telling us how to do that? And make us jump through hoops to evidence what we're doing, meaning we have less time to do it!

It pains me to say but, as Gadgets bloggers would say, the jobs fcuked.

Jim.....Not only are HQ's around the country becoming bloated with layers of nonsensical business speaking staff all trying to justify their newly created positions in our trust we have the head of HR who has never worked with offenders dictating operational policy direction, we say that you couldn't make it up.....then they do...all this on top of the Oasys R debacle continues apace

I'm astonished how technocratic and bureaucratic this job has become, and how over-managed it is. They introduce forms, which become templates, which become lengthened to hideous proportions, which become 70 page assessments and then make sure it doesn't work, even as a system. Brilliant. The Probation offices in our area are empty because so many people have retired or left. The only office that is full is HQ where they have had to take away the staff canteen to get more desks in. The only jobs they are advertising for are new manager positions. Jim, you are right, when or if the changes happen, it will be these managers and HQ that go, and with any sense OASys will go with it.

There is no doubt in my mind that we've been very ill-served by our senior management. They've simply grown an ever-larger bureaucracy, whilst at the same time closed field offices in the name of efficiency and cost cutting!

Good to see that the penny has finally dropped re NAPO. It is imploding. It serves probation staff as badly as the senior management. Unison is the only way to go.

You hope that the the privatisation will go wrong I actually hope that it doesn't get half way and stall, leaving a complete mess. All this before we start to see the infighting as some staff seek to position themselves on the public sector side of the line. IT will be bitter.

On the up side a few people will probably get a decent package to leave.

I agree. NAPO is in desperate need of a major shake-up and urgent review as to exactly what has gone wrong and why. Carrying on as if things are ok is not an option and the new General Secretary has got to get a grip quickly.

It's obvious to all of us that Grayling has put in motion a slow train crash and we are going to slip inexorably into chaos over coming months. It's not going to be a pretty sight with management increasingly talking business-like bollocks and practitioners as you say positioning themselves to make sure they are not TUPE'd out.

It will pitch PO's against PSO's and as you say will inevitably turn nasty. On top of this, there will always be those with a view to the main chance who seek out lucrative jobs with the G4S's and Serco's of this world.

My advice is make sure those OASys's are up to date because it will go wrong, SFO's will happen and the shit will hit the fan. Lets make sure it hits Grayling where it truly belongs.

I think it's a bit early for Unison to be picking over the entrails of Napo, but I do agree that Napo lost its way sometime ago. But there are no union panaceas out there, no union punching above its weight and other myths of union power and influence.

I see that efforts are underway by the government to weaken Tupe, so being tuped may turn out to be a distinction without a difference.

As for probation senior management, they have effectively been on the game for years, there are no tricks they will refuse for the right money. But we should not be surprised by this as it's classic neoliberal behaviour – individualistic and selfish. It just serves to show how much probation has changed, how much its public ethos has been erradicated. The problem is that those attracted to mangerialism in recent years are not the type of persons who would know a value if it fell on their heads. They have no moral imagination – that's what you exchange when you take the King's shilling. They don't understand the sentiment to 'save probation',but they understand how to keep their political masters satisfied.

I am surprised to be thinking & saying this but I have lost faith in NAPO & am seriously considering bailing out to Unison - nothing to lose as I see it. I would always want to be in a union but as a previous poster has said NAPO appears to be self-destructing and in my view without Harry Fletcher it will become much less effective.

I have a great deal of sympathy with that view and think the membership is being treated quite shabbily at present. I've known about Harry Fletcher for weeks and was waiting for the union to make a statement - but nothing!

The campaign blog hasn't been updated for weeks and the same goes for the General Secretary's blog. Mind you the membership don't do much either as the forums have been ominously quiet too, until the HF news broke that is.

I hate to say this too, but if someone doesn't get a grip soon at NAPO it is indeed 'game over' and time to be ringing UNISON. What does it take for fucks sake to update the website once in a while?

Im really disheartened by this all; Probation was the best job iv ever had after struggling for so long (I dont have a degree and Probation was the only place to accept me on my qualities I do have as a person).

Im stuck thinking whether I should just start looking for another job stacking shelves or ride it out.

Its not just me thats affected; im more worried about my wife, my house and my obligations to her really.The stresses of being married and worrying about your family are immense.

I keep praying this all blows over like a bad dream but sticking my head in the sand praying has never helped.

What a waste of a great service too; the hard work we do all for nothing, over 100 years of Probation evolution down the pan.

Yes it's shit and as you will have gathered PSO's will all be transferred to other providers. I think my advice would be to wait and see what transpires, particularly the quality of the new provider, but at the same time keep an eye on the job market for someone like yourself with 5 years PSO experience.

Make sure you have a really good CV ready for any interesting opportunity that may come up and take some advice on how to sell yourself and your transferable skills adequately to any future potential employer.

You don't mention if you had considered training for a PO qualification, but it's possible these opportunities will still be around in the future. So if you still like this area of work, gain as much experience as possible, avail yourself of any training opportunities and at a future date try and get into the remaining public service as a trainee.

It's My Blog

Welcome to the wonderful world of probation! These are the personal thoughts of an ordinary probation officer struggling to come to terms with constant change, whilst trying to do a useful job for society. Sadly, change is so often obviously not progress. I am fully aware that my views do not represent official policy of government, my Service or possibly anyone else - but hey - it's my blog!

ATV 1962 Windsor Davies

About Me

A grumpy, disillusioned, CQSW trained, generic, main grade probation officer based in a small English town. All my contemporaries have either left, retired or been promoted. Newer colleagues simply don't understand the journey I've been on from advise, assist and befriend. (If there is anyone of similar name in the NAPO handbook, it's not me).